Digital Commons Network^™

Guest Artist Recital Series: April 27, 2025, Ira Gold, Susan Archibald

School of Music Programs

Kemp Recital Hall

April 27, 2025

Sunday Afternoon

2:00 p.m.

American Letters: Loren Eiseley

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

Except from: The Bird and the Machine, The Immense Journey (1957)

Living And Dying With Rats (Essay), Trent Mcfury

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

It is unlikely that a dystopian work would begin with, “Rats have not been seen for centuries, even in Venice.” [...]

Although many species disturb our peace, destroy our crops, and/or are outright dangerous, the eco-existential scaling of a rat (and mice), broonie or pixie-like, makes it a convenient analogical and projective emblem of invasion and subsequent extermination. That which abundantly reproduces, keenly clusters, transforms our bodies, challenges our wits, follows and then remains, travels and then stays, is also a psyche-mirror.

Altered Book-Making As Identity Reclamation In Women Diagnosed With Eating Disorders At A Residential Treatment Center, Emma Ricci

Expressive Therapies Theses

Art therapy is an avenue of treatment for the eating disorder population. Altered books have made their way into treatment centers due to their compact nature and ability to review progress over time. Identity work is equally vital to the treatment of eating disorders in emerging or young adults as it is a time of identity exploration and commitment. Based on the literature and findings of this study, it is important for patients to be able to view their futures without the eating disorder, especially the pieces of themselves that they lost while being stuck in the illness. This study …

The Impact Of Focusing-Oriented Expressive Arts Therapy (Foat®) On College Students Experiencing Stress, Anxiety, And Depression, Mikki H. Lane

Expressive Therapies Theses

This arts-based research explores how Focusing-Oriented Expressive Arts Therapy (FOAT®) supports college students in coping with stress, anxiety, and depression. Due to academic pressures, social transitions, and developmental milestones, college students are especially vulnerable to mental health challenges (Schaufeli et al., 2002). This arts-based approach to the research explores the impact of Focusing-Oriented Expressive Arts Therapy (FOAT®) on college students experiencing stress, anxiety, and depression. Specifically, the study looked to determine if FOAT® could lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression in college students who were experiencing these challenges. The research approach included the case study of one college student, …

The Impact Of High Deductible Health Plans On Mental Health Treatment, Kristian D. Dambrino, Laura Gray, R. David Phillippi

DNP Projects

Background and Rationale: High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) are designed to reduce overall healthcare spending by shifting more upfront costs to patients to discourage overutilization of care, yet HDHPs often increase financial burden, particularly in outpatient mental health care. Patients covered by HDHPs often face substantial out-of-pocket costs before reaching their deductible. This can lead to potential delays or discontinuation of psychiatric treatment. Financial transparency interventions by the mental health provider may mitigate these barriers through more-informed patient decision-making regarding payment options. This project evaluates the impact of a financial transparency intervention on reducing payment responsibility for HDHP patients in …

Mitochondrial Dysfunction And Parkinson's Disease: A Critical Link, Anika J. Millar

Senior Honors Theses

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, caused by the damage to and death of dopamine-releasing neurons in the brain. The substantia nigra is a major region housing dopaminergic neurons and plays a critical role in motor and cognitive function. When these neurons are compromised, dopamine levels decline, leading to the development of motor and cognitive dysfunction. Current treatments include dopamine precursors, which help to replace dopamine and relieve motor symptoms. However, while there is symptomatic treatment for Parkinson’s disease, there are no preventative therapies or cures. A potential link between mitochondrial dysfunction and Parkinson’s disease has prompted further research. Investigating …

Fashion And Film: The Art Of Costume Design, Abigail C. Stalder

Senior Honors Theses

A costume designer’s job is to create wardrobes that fit the film’s aesthetic, context, and personality of each character. Costume designers take inspiration from trends, incorporating them into their work through their own creative process, inspiring fashion designers and trend-setters to implement the styles in new ways. Thus, producing an endless cycle — an ecosystem wherein both fashion and film thrive off each other, continuously evolving to create beauty on and off the screen. Aligning my creativity and knowledge of both fashion and film, I participated in the making of six student films, costuming over 30 named characters as well …

Conceptual Design Of A Personal Propulsion Unit For Rapidly Accessing Remote Trauma Patients, Kenneth Kubiak, Aidyn Cochran, Mallorie Colquitt, Ed Sheridan

Senior Design Project For Engineers

Patient mortality increases over 14% and the prognosis for a full-recovery decreases an additional 21% when definitive medical care is provided after the first hour of suffering traumatic injuries. Most trauma patients receive such care within 60 minutes of injury onset, referred to as the ‘golden hour’; however, trauma patients injured in wilderness areas may not receive this care for an hour or more due to difficulty accessing them across rugged, dense terrain. To address this issue, “The Jetsons!” team designed a 288 kg all-electric Personal Propulsion Unit (PPU) capable of transporting a single 111 kg medic-pilot with 23 kg …

Enhancing Dermatologic Education In A Family Nurse Practitioner Program: A Quality Improvement Project That Promotes Skin Assessment Competency In Diverse Populations, Solonge Schiavone

DNP Projects

Background: Dermatologic education in Nurse Practitioner (NP) programs often lacks adequate representation of skin conditions in patients with darker skin tones, contributing to diagnostic disparities and delayed treatment. This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to integrate culturally competent dermatologic content into the Primary Care I course at Sacred Heart University to enhance diagnostic accuracy and student confidence.

Purpose: The primary goals were to improve NP students’ knowledge and confidence in diagnosing dermatologic conditions across diverse skin tones and to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention using pre- and post-intervention assessments.

Methods: The project utilized the Six Sigma DMAIC framework. …

Below-Ground Carbon Gradients Surrounding Saskatchewan's Native Agricultural Copses, Andrea V. Cline, Colin P. Laroque

Aspen Bibliography

As carbon markets develop, understanding the carbon storage capabilities of agricultural land is imperative to maximizing carbon storage. Ecosystems store two-thirds of their carbon below ground. Shrubland and shelterbelt carbon storage have been well documented in agricultural settings, yet little is known about the carbon stored under the native woody vegetation scattered across the Prairies. This study aims to be the first to quantify the below-ground carbon under and around these native trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) copses in the Canadian Prairies. For this study, the leaf, fibric, humic layer (LFH) and soil samples up to 60cm were collected …

Patrick Daw, Saxophone

Bailey School of Music Concert Programs

Patrick Daw, Saxophone

Gustavo De La Torre Martinez, Violin

Bailey School of Music Concert Programs

Gustavo De la Torre Martinez, Violin

Dr. Eric Jenkins, Piano

Allen Yun, Violin

Bailey School of Music Concert Programs

Allen Yun, Violin

Eric Jenkins, Piano

Binary Modeling Of The Very Hot White Dwarf - Main Sequence Star Binary Gd 803, Angela Webber

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

The white dwarf GD 803 is known to be a non-eclipsing close-binary system. It has an orbital period of less than a day, a hot white dwarf as the central star, and a cool main sequence star as the companion. Using luminosity data, in our case, luminosities in the SDSS-g and SDSS-r filters, light curves showing how the luminosity changes over time were created. Model light curves can be generated through adjustable parameters using the PHOEBE binary star modeling software. These model curves can then be compared to the data. By altering parameters to get generated light curves …

Don’T Cut The Cameras: How Media Coverage Has Impacted The Growth Of Women’S Professional Sports In The United States, Lauren Ehrman

Undergraduate Theses

The growth of women’s professional sports in the United States has long been tied to the level and quality of media coverage these leagues receive. This paper examines how media exposure impacts the success of women's sports, with a focused case study on Racing Louisville FC. By analyzing Racing Louisville’s media presence alongside its attendance numbers, this study highlights how limited coverage can stunt fan engagement and broader support. In addition, the paper emphasizes the importance of fair comparisons, suggesting that women's leagues should be evaluated at similar stages of development as men’s leagues, particularly when assessing success at the …

Comparative Study Of Entrepreneurial Resilience And Gender, Raegan Burkey

Honors Projects

This study aimed to determine if there was a significant difference in the relative importance of resilience factors between male entrepreneurs and female entrepreneurs in order to discover which elements are most relied upon by each gender. To do this, I identified various elements of resilience through a literature review and combined them into a survey. In the survey, participants answered demographic related questions, including a question about gender, prior to moving into resilience element rankings. I then completed a factor analysis to identify three distinct factors: Propensity for Growth, Adaptive Commitment, and Self-Regulation. A T Test revealed that there …

Dissolving Sand Into Fog - Portraying Long Term Temporal Illusions Through Music, Kyle Bergler

Honors Projects

Long-term temporal illusions permeate our day-to-day lives, but due to their highly subjective nature, few are familiar with them. To help introduce these topics in a way that lets a wider audience connect individually with them, I composed three works for percussion ensembles, each in a different style, and each portraying one or multiple long-term temporal illusions. All of these pieces were composed and rehearsed throughout the spring 2025 semester and premiered at my senior recital on April 19, 2025.

Toledo Private High Schools: An Analysis Of Marketing Strategies, Tegan Ruttencutter

Honors Projects

Having a better understanding of private education is vital in a country where research on private schools outside of school choice literature is limited. This research aims to gain a deeper understanding of the marketing strategies employed by Toledo private high schools, thereby enhancing our comprehension of the local education market and its broader implications. This study will delve into the websites of three prominent Toledo private high schools: one Catholic, one Christian/Religious, and one secular school. To better understand these websites and schools, marketing and education-related literature regarding marketing strategies and private education is reviewed. Additionally, to better understand …

The Diegetic Purpose Of Humor In Superhero Media, Ella Ramsey

Honors Projects

Superheroes draw fans in with their fantastic powers, but also their humanizing personalities. Humor is one such trait often used to endear viewers of superhero media to the title characters. However, why do these characters maintain their witty personas and cheerful nature as they fight against evil? This question may seem to have a few simple answers, but there is a lack of research explaining the in-depth psychological reasoning for humor in the context of a superhero’s reality. This study investigates the multiple roles humor can play in a hero’s development as a human being. By studying the psychology of …

Alyssa Joy Mcbride, Cello

Bailey School of Music Concert Programs

Alyssa Joy McBride, Cello

Eric Jenkins, Piano

Diabetic Foot Ulcer Healing Time With Silver Alginate Dressing: A Scoping Review, Srilalitha Lanka, Merlin Sajeev, Jessica Sima, Amanda Killeen

School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Introduction: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are slow-healing wounds that can lead to serious complications. Choosing the right dressing is important for improving healing. Silver alginate dressings are commonly used because they help fight infection and may promote faster recovery. This scoping review examines existing research on the effect of silver alginate dressings on DFU healing time.

Method: A literature search was conducted using Google Scholar and PubMed with the search terms: ““Diabetic foot ulcer” AND "wound healing" AND “silver Dressing” AND "alginate"” and “Diabetic foot ulcer AND wound healing AND silver Dressing AND alginate”, respectively. Articles published between 2005 and …

Evaluation Of Wound Dehiscence Rate Between Total Ankle Replacement (Tar) And Ankle Arthrodesis (Aa): A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Asad Mustafa, Sarah Weisbrodt, Naohiro Shibuya

School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Introduction

Total ankle replacement (TAR) and ankle arthrodesis (AA) are surgical interventions used for patients with degenerative ankle arthritis. Historically, AA has been the standard treatment for ankle arthritis; however, in recent years, TAR has become just as popular, if not more so. The TARVA study, a randomized controlled trial examining the outcomes of each procedure for a population with end-stage osteoarthritis, reports similar results between the two procedures, except that TAR may have a higher incidence of wound dehiscence. TAR typically requires a larger incision than AA, which may influence patient selection for the procedure. However, data from the …

Graduate Lecture Recital: April 27, 2025, Chona P. Noble, Olesia Pupina

School of Music Programs

Kemp Recital Hall

April 27, 2025

Sunday Evening

8:30 p.m.

Graduate Recital: April 27, 2025, Daniel Ota, Grace Eom, Lydia Cermak, Jeason Lopez

School of Music Programs

Kemp Recital Hall

April 27, 2025

Sunday Afternoon

4:00 p.m.

Life In Dance: Relationship To Self And Dance Environment, Emily Barz

Undergraduate Theses

Dance is an athletic art form in which the body is trained repetitively to perfect sequences of movement. The training regimen for dance requires a lot of time and dedication; this training can have an impact on self-esteem, especially when aspects of dance become detrimental to the dancer.

Maintaining a high level of self-esteem is important for dancers because self-esteem impacts a dancer's ability to grow in their artistry as well as life outcomes outside of dance.

Current research on dancer self-esteem highlights a very specific issue: body image. Dancers are expected to execute technique and fulfill high standards; oftentimes, …

The Bluey Effect: Using The Children’S Cartoon To Connect Social-Emotional Learning And Core Content In The Classroom, Marra Becker

Undergraduate Theses

In recent years, there has been a push for incorporating SEL, or social-emotional learning, into the classroom. As important as this movement is, many teachers have expressed concerns about their ability to intentionally address SEL concepts during the school day. This stems from a lack of time, accessible SEL programs, and training for teachers and staff. During this time, studies have also shown that as students go through school into higher education, rates of engagement tend to drop significantly. This has only increased after the COVID-19 pandemic. One way to address both of these challenges is to create a way …

Transformational Leadership And Its Impact On Team Success: A Detailed Chronicle Of Bellarmine University Men's Lacrosse, Ella Beames

Undergraduate Theses

This thesis uses a journalistic approach to explore the intersection between leadership, transformational leadership, in particular, and forms of success through the lens of Kentucky's only NCAA Division 1 Men's Lacrosse program. Interviews, written survey, and observation were utilized to gauge a community-wide perspective about the team and the holistic nature of the student-athlete experience within Bellarmine University Men's Lacrosse. Observation followed the team for three years and engaged players and coaching staff in telling the story of the team's shifting culture and the management process of the team's newfound success. Methods aimed to draw a connection between the change …

Jtc 25: Loving Science, Loving People, Marisa C. Atkinson

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2025 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.

Ole Miss Joins Elite List Of Voter Friendly Campuses, Jordan Karnbach

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – University of Mississippi student ambassadors, staff, faculty and community members overcame low turnout and tight deadlines to grow civic engagement across campus last year. Their efforts were recognized with the university being designated as a Voter Friendly Campus for the 2025-26 cycle.